Gemotions

"Mom?" Sarah's voice wavered. She was calling from the bathroom, the door shut tight. Her hands were clammy, her phone slick against her skin.

She had to get it off her chest. She'd been in denial all day. Every time she thought about it, a coldness spread from her chest.

She read the report again. The match. The potential father, a man she’d never known. She thought of the family photos, the memories, the carefully constructed narrative of her life. They were all a lie. She imagined her mother's face when she would have to admit what she'd done.

"Mom, can you come in here for a second?" She swallowed hard, her voice barely a whisper. The water running in the sink, now sounded like a roaring river in her ears.